John t



(No Model.)

J. T. BARKER.

ICE OREEPER.

Patented Oct. 2, 1888.

ilnrrnn S'rA'rEs FATENT Genres.

JOHN T. HARKER, OF CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO SWAIN THAOKARA, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

lCE-CREEPER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 390,594, dated October 2, 1888,

Serial No. 275,072. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN T. I-IARKER, a citizen of the United States, residing in Camden, Camden county, New Jersey, have invented certain lmprovementsin Ice-Creepers, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to construct a simple and cheap ice-creeper that can be readily and securely attached to the heel of the shoe of the wearer by a single strap, as fully described hereinalter, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a view showing the creeper applied to the heel of a boot. Fig. 2 is a perspective view, and Figs. 3 and 4 are views of different forms of the creeper constructed in accordance with my invention.

The base of the creeper is formed of two plates, A B, crossing each other at right angles. The transverse plate 13 has its ends I) b turned up, and the longitudinal plate has its rear end turned up, and to these ends are secured the strapsc c o by rivets or other suitable fastenings. These straps are looped at their upper ends, as shown, and through the loops is passed a strap, D, having at one end a buckle, through which the other end of the strap D is passed.

The front end, a, of the longitudinal plate A is preferably turned up so as to engage with the front portion of the heel. Thus it will be seen that these turnedupportions oftheplateA fit theheel snugly and preventsidewise movement, while the strap which passes around the ankle, as shown in Fig. 1, securely holds the creeper to the shoe. On the bottom of the plates A and B are a series of spikes, t, the shank of the central spike, '17, acting as a rivet to secure the two plates A B together.

In Fig. 3, in place of the leather loops, I extend the ends a b I) up to the side of the boot and form loops 6 e by bending the side plates, thus dispensing with the leather loops. The strap D will then pass directly through these metallic loops.

In Fig. 4 I have shown the two side loops of leather, and the rear bent end, a, extending up to the strap D, which is secured thereto by a rivet, so that the strap forms a permanent part of the creeper. Either one or both of the side straps maybe secured to the strap D by rivets, as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 4, where circumstances require.

Thus it will be seen that I make a cheap and substantial creeper with one securi ngstrap and buckle, which can be readily placed upon the heel of the shoe or removed whenrequired; and, furthermore, the strap placed around the instep in the manner shown will not bind upon and injure the foot as will a strap extending from the lower rear edge of the heel to the instep, as the strap in my device need not be drawn as tight-1y as a strap used at the angle just described.

The spikes in the plates may be of different forms than that shown without departing from my invention.

I claim as my invention- 1. An icecreeper adapted to cover the treadsurface of a boot or shoe heel, consisting of the base-plates having spikes thereon, with upturned side extensions and a rear extension, each provided with loops at its upper end, and a securing-strip passing through the loops, substantiallyas described.

2. The combination of the longitudinal plate A, having spikes thereon and turned-up portions at a, with a transverse plate having turnedup portions I) b, loops on the rear and turned up side portions, and a securing-strap passing through said loops, substantially as described.

3. The combination, in an ice creeper, of the longitudinal and transverse plates having turned-up portions, loops thereon, and a securingstrap, with spikes riveted to the said cross-plates, and a central spike, t, securing the said crossplates together, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereofl have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN T. HARKER.

\Viinesses:

EDWARD M. RILEY, HARRY SMITH. 

